Overlooked turbulence is battering giant turbines in ways current controls still fail to catch

A new method provides a more realistic description of loads on large-scale wind turbines than was previously possible. A team of researchers has developed a more accurate mathematical model of wind fluctuations across the rotor surface. This allows for a better capture of sudden, localized gusts of wind. These localized loads are a key factor in premature material fatigue, especially in larger wind turbines.